


Brothers for Life

by FawnoftheWoods



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Magic, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:22:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28228332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawnoftheWoods/pseuds/FawnoftheWoods
Summary: Prompt Soulmate AU: every realm has soulmates, but no realm's soulmates work the same.   Humans can see the red string of fate, Vanir see the world in black and white until they meet their soulmate, dwarves, have tattoos of identical soulmarks.  Aesir have the name of their soulmate written on their wrist.  Loki has both his wrists filled with names. One he doesn't recognize, the other is Thor.  He never admits it to anyone, not even Thor, but he knows, heard enough in the downtown, about polyamorous soulmate bonds.  But he also looked at Thor's wrists. Thor never has sleeves on, and he only has one name, not Loki's.  Loki always thought Thor was his soulmate, unrequited love, and wore long sleeves and his pain inside.  He only learned later that Jotnar also have their soulmate's name on one wrist as a soulmark... And their enemy's name on the other wrist.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Thor, Loki & Thor (Marvel), Loki/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Thor
Comments: 20
Kudos: 107





	1. Loki

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kimmy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimmy/gifts).



> Prompt by Kimmy(I blame you for this writing spree when I'm supposed to be completing my WinterIron fic!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Thor have names written on their wrists. The name of their soulmate. The only problem is Loki has Thor and Thor has someone else.

Loki shuddered as his partner rolled closer, wrapping his arms around the Jotunn. At first Loki had been terrified that Tony would get hurt, like his Aesir companions were in Jotunnheim before, but as Loki experimented with his new found powers, he found that was an offensive ability, turned on and off as needed. And Loki needed it off. It would be worse than Thanos were he to harm his soulmate.

Loki glanced down to see his own arms curled against his chest. One wrist had “Tony Stark” written in neat, curt letters and the other had Thor written in impatient Runes native to Aesir. A cause for hope, and despair, throughout his life.

Each realm, each species had its own method of handling soulmates. Loki had heard some dream about them, or with them, and some change upon meeting them. Aesir have their soulmates’ name written on their bodies, usually their wrist, as they learn to write. Of course, this can mean the timing of the name appearing can be a bit sporadic, but it's a nice indicator of the age of the other.

When “Thor” had appeared on Loki’s wrist as a child, Loki had been beyond confused. Thor, being older, learned to write when Loki was still too young himself, so the name appearing early would be natural, except Thor was his brother. All this sent Loki to research soulmates, which at that age, meant he asked everyone he met as many questions as he could come up with. His mother was the one to finally explain that a soulmate was the person whose true inner self matched yours in ways that made your life more complete. It occurred in any way it occurred and the idea that it need be romantic was such nonsense.

Loki had contemplated this for a while before deciding he liked the idea that Thor would be in his life. Thor was his big brother, heir to the throne. Loki would sit at his side as advisor and Thor would be the best king ever! Loki was sure of it. 

By this time, Loki had learned to write and eagerly waited to see if Thor would share his wrist with Loki. Yet, as the months passed, Thor made no such move. Eventually, during one of their often sleepovers, where they giggled and bundled under the heavy furs in Thor’s suite, Loki asked if Thor would show him his wrist.

Thor had frowned and sighed. “Mother told me to keep it hidden until the right time. The people would be relentless in asking about it, if I showed them.” Thor said quietly, fingering his wrist. Loki understood that. Thor was always being told he’d be a great king one day and many seemed to expect it of him now. Loki had, more than once, interfered when a possibly well-meaning subject got pushy asking Thor about his opinion on things. 

Thor glanced at Loki, “Promise you won’t tell?” 

Loki couldn’t ignore those pleading looks. If Thor wanted to wait until he was older to handle telling everyone about them ruling together, that was okay. He nodded and waited.

Thor pulled off both wrist guards and showed Loki his twin blank wrists. Loki stared at them stunned. This hadn’t come up often, but he’d heard rumors during his research. When a soulmate was one sided, it meant bad luck for the poor soul, rejected even by their soul. Loki felt like crying. 

Thor must have seen the sadness, because he grabbed Loki’s shoulders. “Its okay. Mother assures me my mate is likely just not born yet. I just…” Thor shrugged looking down. “I don’t want to have to say it constantly, you know?”

Loki swallowed and nodded. “I’ll keep your secret Brother. As long as I live.”

Thor smiled, “Because we are brothers.”

Loki gripped the offered hand, placing his own covered markings over Thor’s bare wrist, “We are Brothers.”

That had been the one and only time Loki had brought up soulmarks with Thor. Loki, on occasion, saw Thor’s wrists bare. Since he already knew, Thor had relaxed his vigilance about it with his brother. In some small way, Loki felt that meant Loki could still be the best brother to Thor, even if Thor would be just fine without Loki.

When Thor’s name finally came in, Loki hadn’t been there. It was sometime later that Loki saw the markings, though he hadn’t been able to read them. He’d seen enough to see that there were two names on the same wrist. Multiple soulmates wasn’t uncommon, though not the norm, in Asgard. Loki only hoped Thor’s soulmates liked Loki and allowed him to stay near.

Then one day, only a little after Thor’s markings appeared, Loki gained a new name. One morning, Loki saw a new name being written out on his other wrist. Shaky lines of a child and Loki felt his stomach swoop with trepidation. A child, another soulmate to not need Loki. He thought Thor was hard enough. Loki had done everything in his life to be the perfect advisor for Thor.

When Thor had whispered to Loki that he was afraid he’d never understand politics enough to be a good king, Loki had learned all he could. When Thor had growled that magic wasn’t one of his strengths, Loki pursued it with vigor. When Thor had let his relationship with their mother lie fallow so he could strengthen his bond with Odin, Loki repaired and maintained a deep connection with Frigga.

Now, he had another soulmate himself? And the language wasn’t one he recognized. Slowly, as the years passed and the name’s handwriting got stronger, more steady, Loki hunted for the realm with that writing. He knew the person was still out there, as the name did not fade to a shadow, as it should when the writer died. 

It was during this research that Thor brought up soulmarks himself. Loki had been reading on the old language of the trolls (he’d found some lovers there before) when Thor tracked him down in the library. It was probably the only place they could talk without his warrior brigade trailing along after him.

“Brother, I-” Thor hesitated with uncertainty. Since Thor rarely showed anything approaching hesitance, Loki closed his book and looked at his brother attentively. “You have researched soulmarking, yes?”

Loki swallowed, hoping today wasn’t the day Thor told him that Thor knew about his names and was disgusted. “I have.”

Thor nodded. “I have always been...relieved you tried to help. I am no good at books so I’d hoped you..I mean my marks appeared, but now…”

Thor glanced over his shoulder and all around. Once he’d assured himself they were indeed alone still, he took off his wrist guards. Loki swallowed harshly. It was the same writing style as Loki’s new name. Thor’s soulmates and Loki’s were of the same realm, likely part of the same culture. But Thor’s names were behaving...oddly.

The top name was almost shimmering, fading in and out like a wave back and forth across the wrist. The second name was flickering, remaining largely faded, but would darken for brief moments. Loki had yet to see anything like it. Gently he took his brother’s wrist in his hands and looked up at the genuine fear in Thor’s face. Loki was rather sure that besides their mother, Loki was the only one that ever saw that fear.

“I-” Loki began, but his throat closed up before the words could escape. He cleared his throat. Looking down.

“Brother…”Thor’s voice broke. “Brother, Please. What ails my soul?”

Loki swallowed. “The only reference I’ve ever heard of this is when one is near death.” He saw Thor’s face crumbled and Loki gripped Thor’s shoulders as the larger brother collapsed to his knees. Thinking quickly, Loki teleported them both to his room. It used a lot of energy, but Thor needed privacy and Loki’s room had a focus he could target. “They are not dead. The flickering is their soul fighting to remain. Your mates, they are fighters.”

Thor took a shuddering breath. “I do not even know how to pronounce their names. I don’t know this script.” Thor then looked at Loki in hope.

Loki shook his head. “Nay, I do not either.”

Thor shuddered, “It happened within a few days of each other some years ago. Mayhap they are together?” Thor ran his finger over the names. “I hoped they shared their lives, being in the same realm. That they at least would not be alone in our bond.” Thor whispered, caressing the words as if they were the lovers themselves. “I know not if they know of Asgard, or if they could even come to rule with me. Part of me is a coward for wishing them to remain a hopeful dream. Yet when this happened…”

Loki understood then. A dream Thor could hold on to turned into a nightmare upon the realization that they could die without Thor ever having met them. Loki firmed his grip on his own emotions. “If they had held on for so long, Thor, they will continue. They are of the soul of Thor. Your strength shall sustain them.” Loki urged.

Thor gave him a weak smile, “Aye. I shall be doubly strong. I shall have more than enough strength to give them. Until we meet, this is all I can give them.”

Loki had cried himself to sleep that night. He’d cried for Thor, who was hurting. He’d cried for himself, last hope of someday being Thor’s soulmate gone now that he’d read the names. He cried so he wouldn’t need to cry again.

Loki hadn’t cried after that. Not until the Chitauri were beaten and Tony sat down for a talk. Loki had recognized the writing as soon as Thor had gone to the realm. Upon his perch in Asgard, he’d seen the realm’s writings and was overjoyed. Both Thor and Loki had found where their markings were. 

Except, Loki now knew. 

Loki was not of Asgard, Loki was of Jotunnheim. And in Jotunnheim, one wrist showed your soulmate, and one the source of your greatest pain. And now Loki knew. Either his brother was an unrequited soulmate, or his worst enemy. He wasn’t certain which was worse. He spent the time Odin was in Odinsleep swinging so wildly between loving his brother and hating him that he felt like fate had bitchslapped him.

When Odin denied his last attempt to please his adopted father, Loki knew. He knew which one Thor was.

And he let go.

As he fell, he apologized to Tony Stark for not living long enough to meet him. For not being strong enough to be there for him. For some small part of him that relished his enemy’s capture at the hands of torturers as he’d seen in news about Tony Stark now that he knew where to look. For ever thinking Thor was his soulmate.

Loki was shaken from his thoughts by said soulmate squeezing him tightly. “Easy Frostbite. You’re okay.”

Loki took a deep breath, pressing Tony’s hand close to his face so he could smell the man’s scent, let it wash away the remembered fear. He closed his eyes and let Tony’s son speak to the room, the sound of his new family washing over him. JARVIS was good at that, speaking for Tony’s panic attacks as easily as for Loki’s. Loki had sought to ask if JARVIS was okay with that, seeing his father so upset. JARVIS has responded with fierce devotion and love for his father, happy to be able to do something that actually helped. Since Loki knew that feeling well, he’d just agreed. Having a child who could not hug was a distinct disadvantage, Loki had discovered, living with Tony. He’d taken for granted how comforting his mother found hugging him and Thor, but now that Loki could not hug his mate’s eldest, he’d felt the loss keenly. At least the other labkids, as Tony called them, were huggable, if a bit awkwardly shaped.

Loki had gone on a search early on for a way to hold Tony’s eldest. Tony did so by coding with JARVIS and later by being in his armor. But Loki had no such ability. Eventually, Loki was able to discover a flavor of magic, which Tony called Technomagic, that could interact with JARVIS’s code, his mind and soul. The first time Loki managed to hold his Stepson when Tony was injured had felt beyond description.

Loki sighed, signalling to JARVIS that his stepfather was present and no longer lost in the past. Tony eased his own hold enough to pull Loki on his back. Tony braced himself over Loki’s blue form, staring into his eyes with concern. “All better Lokes?”

Loki nodded, wrapping his arms around Tony and pulling his warm, slight form down against Loki’s taller Jotunn one. Tony’s weight was barely anything, but it always felt like an anchor for Loki.

When Loki had arrived in Midgard, under Thanos’s thrall, a pale wraith of himself, he’d been begging Tony, Thor, someone to kill him. Anything to prevent him from causing the death of his soulmate. His argument with Thor had been the only time he’d actually come to himself enough. Being with Thor was more hurt that Thanos could ever be. But that confrontation hadn’t gone as planned.

-Flashback-

“Where is the Tesseract?” Thor roared.

Loki laughed sneeringly, “I missed you too  _ brother _ .” He placed as much contempt into that one name as he could.

“Do I look to be in a gaming mood?” Thor growled.

Loki laughed, high and hysterical. “Oh it is a game! It's always a game. How much of me can you carve up like a roast boar before I break!” 

Thor stepped back a bit, probably in confusion, but Loki was too far into his fury to care. “You should thank me! With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here? Your precious Earth with your precious soulmates!” Loki spat.

Thor just dropped Mjolnir to the ground and strode forward. He grabbed Loki’s shoulders, but instead of hitting him, as Loki had expected, Thor squeezed tight, “I thought you dead.”

Loki almost rolled his eyes at the theatrics. “Did you mourn?” He asked jokingly

If possible, Thor’s face looked even more devastated. “We all did. Our father-”

“Your father!” Loki spat as he ripped away from Thor. “He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?”

“We were raised together, we played together, we fought together! Do you remember none of that?” Thor pleaded. He stepped forward and clasped Loki’s hand reminiscent of the oath they had made so long ago, by such innocent young boys. “We are Brothers.”

Loki laughed so shrilly, he might have been shrieking. “I remember a shadow! Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into the abyss, I who could be king!”

“So you take my mate’s world as recompense for your imagined slights? You know the Earth is under my protection!” Thor growled in frustration.

Loki sneered, “And you’re doing a marvelous job! The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly threat. Mayhap I should rule them? Why not?”

“You think yourself above them.”

Loki scoffed, “Well, yes.” That had been a spectacularly stupid question even for Thor. With Loki’s current actions, current predicament, how could he answer otherwise?

“Then you miss the truth of ruling, Brother. Throne would suite you ill.” Thor advised him magnanimously. 

Loki rolled his eyes. “Can’t have a Jotunn on any throne, right?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Jotunns have enemies!” Loki shouted. Thor blinked in confusion at that non sequitur. “Did you know that Jotunn gives you a soulmate and the source of your greatest pain as a warning?” Loki questions sweetly. Thor reared back at that.

“You would destroy a realm to rid yourself of a single enemy?”

Loki laughed, knowing this time that he truly sounded unhinged. “You wish to know the source of my greatest pain,  _ Brother _ ?” Loki ripped off the cuff of his wrist and shoved it at Thor’s face. Thor had to back up just to read the characters that spelled out his name. “You’re too late. You cannot defeat me. I’ve seen realms you can only imagine. I”ve grown in my exile,  _ Odinson _ . I have seen the true power of the tesseract and when I wield it-”

Thor stepped forward at that. “Who showed you this power? Who controlled the would-be king?!?”

“I am a King” Loki burst out.

“Not here!” Thor grabbed Loki’s shoulders, this time to shake him in anger. That was what Loki was expecting. “You give up the tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream and these poisonous lies! You come home.” Thor pleaded, setting Loki once more on his feet.

Loki was almost speechless. Almost, “I don’t have it.” He said quietly. “You need the cube to bring me home, but I’ve sent it off, I know not where.”

Thor stepped back, summoning Mjolnir with a growl. “You listen well Brother-”

Loki blinked as a shiny, metal suit of armor he’d seen earlier that was his soulmate plowed his not-Brother off the side of the mountain.

With a grin, “I’m listening.”

-End Flashback-

Loki had tried to rile up everyone he met, tried to get them to kill him if possible with no luck. It wasn’t until Banner’s beast slammed him into the ground that Thanos’s thrall broke. The pain of the slowly healing bones and bruises was nothing compared to looking up and seeing both Thor and Tony Stark aiming their weapons at him.

He’d let the man blast him and then capture him earlier. That had actually been part of the plan, until the soldier they’d sent had been  _ Him _ . He would be able to bow to many, but never one of  _ them _ . But to his soulmate, for that was what Tony Stark was, he had no issue. The man hadn’t sneered at him, hadn’t done more than was necessary to make his point. When the man’s voice had rolled over Loki demanding surrender, Loki had felt something within him relax. As he watched Tony Stark speak with  _ Him _ on the transport, he noted with glee the same irreverent, supple dance of words his soulmate enjoyed. Every so often the man would look at Loki as if trying to figure him out, but with Loki’s actions recently, it was probably understandable. 

Loki didn’t know until later that humans find their soulmates via what they called the red string of fate. When apart, they could will a thin red line to appear between them and their soulmate, an intangible visible indication of the bond. Tony was watching their string flicker, much like Thor’s had so many years earlier. Evidently, Tony’s red string had always gone straight up, no matter where he was. This was the first time Loki had been on Midgard in Tony’s lifetime and apparently having the string go anywhere not  _ up  _ was a novelty. He hadn’t known what to make of the flickering though.

Loki held Tony tight in bed, squishing his face into the man’s neck, enjoying the rough beard. “Stay.” Loki whispered into the warm skin. Tony snorted. He was probably looking at a tablet, as he usually did when Loki cuddled for a long time. Loki had a similar habit when Tony got cuddly. 

Their first real conversation, in Tony’s penthouse, had been both amazing and devastating. Loki had found a partner in banter and intelligence. Tony sparred well verbally, hitting deep only when necessary, responding to each quip with another as Loki also desperately tried to get him to flee the coming battle, to see how hopeless it was. The only boon Loki had kept when under Thanos’s tender care had been that his mate wasn’t there too. When he’d gripped Tony by the neck, he heard the building sending something up. He waited until the something was at their level before tossing his mate out the window.

For all that humans liked killing each other, it was irritatingly hard to convince them to kill Loki. Then Thor showed up and all thought of Tony had vacated his mind. 

What he hadn’t known, and only learned later was that during the battle, when he’d finally gotten free of Thanos, Tony’s view of the red string had brightened to a solid scarlet. He’d tracked down the timing later. When he was sending the bomb into the pathway to the rest of the Chitauri, he’d asked JARVIS to take care of Loki, sending several messages to JARVIS, Rhodey and Pepper, whom Loki had met later, to care for and protect Loki. The whole thing still made Loki’s stomach turn to lead.

“I know you don’t want to spend time with him, but he will come into the bedroom if you aren’t out there.” Tony murmured fondly. Thor’s visits were still a source of annoyance for Loki and Tony had his own issues with the Captain.

Loki snorted. “Why, exactly should that dissuade me?” He pulled Tony down for a kiss that went from gentle to scorching in a breath. Loki felt Tony’s arm reach over to place the tablet out of their way, though after that one time, JARVIS always saved everything on tablets near them when they got frisky. A side effect of learning Technomagic was that Loki could now affect the machines populating their home.

Loki felt Tony’s fingers thread through his dark hair and pull. Loki let out a whine at that, running his rough claws up Tony’s back, careful to not leave too many bloody tracks. Tony licked his way over the markers Loki had sprouted in his Jotunn form. Some of the designs were passed from family, others formed as the story of the Jotunn’s life, largely related to their soulmarks. The marks that had formed since he arrived at Midgard were the most sensitive to Tony’s oral fixation.

Loki flexed his thighs to cradle his mate close to his manhood. The sheets were wrapped around Tony’s waist, but the application of Loki’s claws removed that nuisance. Tony hummed in approval, rocking his own hard member against Loki’s pulsing shaft. Loki’s head tilted back with a cry as Tony gently bit a nipple. Tony chuckled against his chest and licked his way cross to the other one.

Tony loved to tease. Their beginnings had been awkward enough that it had taken some time to learn this, but they’d worked on it. Starting with that first all important conversation.

Tony had stayed by Loki, ostensibly to guard him while the others talked. Loki’s eyes swung between Tony and Thor and back again warily. Thor was standing close to his soulmate but Loki didn’t think they’d spoken yet. He doubted they’d had more than a breath of alone time to even try.

Tony scowled at them a moment before glancing at Loki. “You want to tell me  _ why _ you went all megalomaniac on us?”

Loki swallowed the hope of a good relationship with his own soulmate before sneering at the man, “One would think that obvious.”

Tony had shrugged, “Your eyes were the same blue as Katniss over there before your cognitive recalibration. Even Thor said your mind was  _ far afield _ .” Tony’s nose had wrinkled cutely at the quote from Thor. Tony looked at him in mostly hidden curiosity. “So who  _ was _ behind that mess?”

Loki snuck another look at the group before looking at Tony. The intense stare spoke of belief. Whatever lie Loki tried to say, Tony already believed this much. And Loki couldn’t force himself to continue the plan. He couldn’t make his soulmate hate him. He’d not been able to make his enemy hate him either. Loki grimaced and looked down.

“Thanos.” He murmured. He felt his entire body shudder and he looked up quickly to see if Tony had heard him. Tony was now watching him with a discerning eye that made Loki nervous. Instead of forcing Loki to repeat himself, Tony asked JARVIS to display the word.

“Yo, Blondie!” All three blondes in the group looked over. Tony rolled his eyes, “Shakespeare, come here!”

This must have meant something because the Archer and the Spider remained talking with the others as Thor, followed by the Captain, came over. “Does the name Thanos mean anything to you?”

Loki flinched at the name. Thor also seemed to start at the name, though Loki couldn’t know where the prince would have heard it. He obviously had for a moment later, Thor was scanning Loki like Frigga used to after a battle. Thor rarely showed his own mothering traits, but he did have them and right now, he was using them to read Loki’s body language way too well. Just like Loki knew Thor, Thor did in fact know Loki, when he cared to slow down and look.

Loki felt the urge to cry swell and he shoved it down ruthlessly. He’d sworn he’d never cry over Thor again. Instead he looked away. Thor grimaced before kneeling in front of Loki. But his words seemed directed to the room at large.

“I have heard of the Conquering Titan, devoted to the destruction of half the life in the universe. His mercy is nothing but pain and his coming, the final terror of a realm.” Thor said quietly. He reached for Loki. Loki automatically flinched back, gorge rising in his throat at the possible contact with Thor. Tony shifted, placing his leg between them and Loki felt a wave of pure relief pass over him. He didn’t care that he was hiding behind someone’s leg like a toddler. The comfort of Tony’s presence and ability to read Loki eclipsed all other concerns with a dizzying scope. It felt as if Loki had set down a great burden and could rest a moment.

Thor seemed to look at the two of them before nodding a moment and standing. “Much like the Archer, my brother was not of himself.” Thor announced. Loki cringed at all and sundry knowing he’d been stripped raw, even though the Archer surely understood. Loki tuned out much of the next bits of interactions that happened in front of him. Tony never left his spot in front of Loki, though he did shift and bounce on his feet. That constant barrier and Loki’s utter, soul-deep exhaustion led to Loki drifting until Tony attempted to get him to rise.

“Bedtime for all warriors, Lokes.”

Loki looked around but the others had vanished at some point. “Where is the cage?” He said, resigned.

Tony frowned. “No cage. But a bed would be more comfortable than the floor, trust me. I mean it's a nice floor, but it recently gave you a beating and in my experience that doesn’t make for a restful association. Up! Up!”

Loki had been so stunned he’d let Tony lead him to a bed. He’d stared at it until Tony turned to leave. That act broke through all the weariness as Loki whined and turned, gripping Tony’s shirt subconsciously. Loki froze when his brain caught up with him.

Tony was looking at him with an inscrutable gaze. “I’d wondered if you’d known.” Loki looked up from the floor blearly. Tony cocked his head in question, “Soulmates?” That word shuddered through Loki and he keened softly.

“Just-” Loki cut himself off. How could he ask that? After all he’d done? After how it went with Thor? But, after Thanos, he had nothing left. He was gone and this shell that was left could belong to the memory of Loki. “Stay?”

Tony had regarded him in question before turning to step closer, leading Loki to the bed. As they lay on the bed, Tony spoke of the Red String. Of how he’d always thought he was broken since it pointed up. Of how he never thought he’d have an actual other side to the string. Tony talked, largely nervously it seemed, as Loki rested his head on Tony’s shoulder. Loki slowly took off his wrist guards and eventually, when Tony’s words started to peter off, they looked at them.

Tony’d slowly rubbed a finger over his own name, now a clear and concise bit of text instead of the scrawl of a child. “Two names?”

Loki shuddered and further buried his head. “One mate, one enemy.” He said simply. Tony had stopped breathing for a moment, as Loki froze too. Tony then pulled him tight. 

Tony always liked skin contact. Like now, Tony was rubbing his forearm against Loki’s bicep as the genius rolled his hips. Loki pulled Tony back up for another soul-stopping kiss and Tony writhed against his full body skin contact, making those little noises he made when his mind was more aroused than his body. Loki loved those noises. Gently pulling his magic forward, Loki sent a trickle down to prepare them both. Tony’s shudders were delicious and Loki licked his lips before sealing Tony’s mouth completely. That was the best way to hear Tony’s groans. 

Tony, raised as he was in the spotlight, was very sensitive to the sounds he made during their contact. But if Loki sealed his lips, Tony seemed to think no one could hear the desperate cries Tony wailed into Loki’s oral cavern. With his mouth very much occupied, Loki rolled them, almost grinning at the surprised shriek from his lover. Instead he angled himself to take his lover into his body. Loki gripped Tony’s wrist to the bed as he pulled their bodies apart enough to shift his hips. Tony’s frenetic shifting only heightened Loki’s arousal and as soon as he had Tony largely lined up, he released a wrist to grip the manhood. Tony switched between fighting the liplock to speak and urging his lover closer. Loki loved preventing Tony’s words. It drove all that verbal energy elsewhere, usually to Loki’s enjoyment.

As soon as Tony was partially in, Loki tickled Tony’s own opening with his magic, releasing Tony’s lips just as that magic turned freezing. Tony didn’t get a word in before the sensation had him yelping and plunging his hips into Loki’s. Loki’s chuckle was interrupted with his own groan and he leaned forward to kiss Tony again. Tony bite his lip in retaliation before shoving Loki to lean back against Tony’s braced knees, putting on display his entire body for his lover. While Loki didn’t have the mental flexibility yet to match a rhythm into Tony’s body with his magic, Tony had no such problem gripping Loki’s erection with both hands. It was all Loki could do at that point to maintain his magic in Tony’s arse as Tony shoved his hips up at the same time as he worked Loki’s weeping member over. 

“Please Love! I-” Loki moaned breathlessly as Tony released his erection with one hand and pinched a nipple hard, twisting it. That sharp spike of pain contrasting the pleasure in all other areas of his body shoved Loki over the peak, sobbing as he came, coating himself as he leaned back against Tony. Loki allowed himself a breath before he gave Tony a searing look as Tony now chased his own completion. Loki ran his fingers along Tony’s chest, scratching gently at the hard nipples until Tony cried out himself.

Loki summoned a cloth to swipe them both with before purring and slithering up Tony’s body to curl next to his panting lover.

They both lay, basking for a moment before a booming voice could be heard. “Hail and hearty, Brother! Tis a joyous union with your mate! We shall celebrate into the night!”

Loki sighed and hid his face in Tony’s chest as Tony started chuckling. Loki turned to glare one green eye at his soulmate only to increase Tony’s hilarity. Soon both were rolling with peals of laughter.

Loki had never felt so lucky.


	2. Thor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like all other Aesir, Thor is looking forward to the names appearing on his wrist. Yet, they are not what he expected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Companion to Chapter 1

Thor grinned as he heard peals of laughter filter from the bedroom. He was happy for his brother, even if Loki still denied any of the softer feelings from their past. 

When Thor had shown Loki his bare arms, it had been a relief. He’d, of course, known that his wrists, or possibly his ankles, would someday be adorned with the name of his Soul’s other piece. Yet he was aging late into childhood with no appearance. He’d asked his mother since every subject of his father kept asking him if the writing had appeared, and she’d explained that it wouldn’t appear until his soulmate was old enough to know how to write. When he complained about the constant badgering, she suggested he stop showing anyone at all. It was a common enough practice to hide one’s writings, especially if the pairing hadn’t been announced yet.

Thor had agreed to do so, but it felt off to him somehow. Like he was hiding a shameful secret. He didn’t understand soulmarks, but a crown prince asking questions wasn’t subtle, even if Thor knew how to be. When Loki had asked, that was when it occurred to Thor, maybe Loki could look into it? Loki could be sneaky and such. And since he wasn’t the Heir to the throne, people paid him less attention.

Still, he was nervous. His mother had told him not to show anyone. But this was Loki. Loki was his brother, his closest friend and ally. Surely, secretes didn't apply to Loki.

When Thor had shown Loki, his brother had looked to weep for Thor. That’s when Thor knew he’d been right. This was shameful and that's why his mother wanted it hidden. He tried to cheer up Loki. If he couldn’t then he may cry too, and that certainly wouldn’t do. The crown prince couldn’t cry over something so silly!

He knew his secret was safe with Loki.

Over the years, Thor had checked periodically for writing. Largely when Loki was around to remind him of his blank wrists. He’d had bedmates plenty in the meantime, Sif being a common one. Sif’s soulmate was dead long ago, she’d only met him once. Thor half thought Sif may hope he was in the same boat. As the campaigns passed, largely successfully, Thor learned to live without a soulmate at all.

Then, one day a century or so before he was to receive his coronation as Royal Crown Prince, the names appeared.

The had been in xxx on campagn with the Warriors three. All three had each other’s names, though not always each other’s beds, and Thor could feel them try to include him in the bond on occasion. Thor was washing his wrist guards when he noticed them. Two lines in a script he didn’t recognize. 

Which meant it was unlikely a realm Asgard watched over.

The thought had him seeking solitude for the rest of the campaign. His fighting was more half-hearted and his meals went uneaten for almost a moon as he tried to convince himself that he was okay with soulmates who could not rule Asgard at his side. The two names shared a few characters so they were likely in the same realm. Thor hoped they were together. Perhaps they, at least, could have the comfort of the bond of the soul.

He spent evenings tracing the letters until he could form them without looking. One of his names changed completely at one point and Thor hoped they had met each other and that was the cause. Otherwise, he watched in fascination each night as the lines gained in style, moving from blocky attempts at figures to solid lines and firm strokes.

One name was very loopy, with quick, precise strokes. Thor decided that meant this one was flexible, relaxed and with some humor. The other was more solid, with flairs here and there. Thor chose to interpret this as a more artistic person, but stubborn. Thor wondered what his name looked like to them. Could they even read it?

Or were they one of those species without clues to their mates until meeting? Maybe they had met and didn’t know they had another mate? Maybe they were happy?

Thor hoped they were happy. That was the best he could probably hope for, especially without knowing the realm. He’d just keep his eye out for the writing, maybe Loki knew it? Either way, no good would come of asking. Thor was just content to rub the writing when he was worried and to know they were there.

By the end of the campaign, Thor had made his peace with that choice. He loved rubbing the name locations and thinking of what they could be doing at any given moment. Since he normally did that over top of his wrist guards, he didn’t notice until a few decades later that the markings had changed. One, the artistic one, was almost waving. A wave of dark black would roll through the markings back and forth, fading and brightening continuously.

The other name was faded completely. For the first time since his first campaign, Thor saw the contents of his stomach a second time. He’d lost a soulmate and hadn’t even known. They had both lost a mate. He’d failed his mate to even see the pain they were undergoing.

He’d never even know the other.

For the first time since he’d discovered the markings, Thor wished fiercely to go to his soulmates. He suddenly didn’t care for the crown, or Asgard or anything but to be there for his remaining mate. To support and protect them in the way he’d failed to do so before. He wondered if the wavering marks meant this other mate was grieving their partner. He wanted to hold them. To cry into their hair or neck for their fallen partner. To hear their heartbeat telling him he hadn’t lost them both. 

Thor spent the entire day alone, letting silent tears roll down his cheeks. Loki found him near sunset and sat with him, letting him simply sit and cry. Loki couldn’t have to know why he was so upset. The recent battle had caused some loss, so Thor could claim a moment of solitude for the fallen comrades if he so chose, but Loki didn’t ask. Instead Loki stayed by Thor’s side, a silent guard, intervening when any well-meaning or unknowing subject wandered too close. 

It was past the call of midnight when Thor finally felt strong enough to rise. Loki gave him a careful look, full of sympathy, and some confused concern, but asked nothing of Thor except to accompany him back to their quarters. 

After that, Thor got in the habit of checking on his surviving soulmate once every few days. The coloring rhythm was constant and unchanging though. He nearly gave up on it when a few moons after the previous faded name flickered brightly. Thor spent all afternoon watching it as it would stand out brightly and then fade only to return for short bursts. 

This continued for days before it once again faded. Thor ran his finger over the faded marks, worrying himself ill over the person. His other partner was still unchanging and Thor wept silently for a while over the situation.

The second name remained faded most of the time, flickering on occasion. In the beginning those flickers were longers, solid, but as time passed they became sporadic and far between. Then for several days in a row, they flickered a lot. This caused Thor to finally seek out his brother.

After Thor had shown him his lack of marks as a child, Loki had made a thorough study of soul bonds and their magic. Loki even spoke of his ability to feel out the bonds to some extent, even on others. His magical ability knew no bounds as far as Thor was concerned. If anyone could magically do it, Loki could.

He waited until his comrades were busy and wouldn’t overhear the brothers and joined Loki in the lIbrary. Loki was reading up on the Trolls. A good study for an advisor to the throne. Loki always studied everything. Thor could count on him to know anything he needed to know.

Loki’s reaction to his mark’s changing had confirmed for Thor that it meant something dreadful, but hearing it in plain words, that his mates were dying took the floor out from under Thor. Hiss mates needed him and he was here, in Asgard, playing at being a prince. He could lose them and they’d never know how much he cared! Thor wasn’t sure how he ended up in Loki’s bedchambers, but he was grateful for it. 

Loki, his brother, told him that his strength could help his mates. Loki placed a hand on Thor’s wrist and closed his eyes. Thor may not have much magical ability, but after so long, he knew the feeling of his brother’s magic better than even their mother’s. Loki’s eyes fluttered open.

“The bond is still there. You can send strength to them, if you want to.”

Thor looked up in eager hope. “Please Brother! Teach me how! Please, I beg of you Brother. Help them!”

Loki had eyed him for a moment to be sure he wanted this, especially for two strangers in realms neither of them could identify. Loki always was the more cautious of the two of them. Thor simply nodded firmly.

Loki sighed and Thor felt something shift in his own magic. Thor’s innate magic was not very pliable, at least not to Thor. But Loki could work with it a bit, coax it to cooperate. Now he showed Thor a method to send magic and feelings to his mates.

“Listen to me, Brother. I feel no answering magic, so never send much. They won’t be able to tell you it hurts until they are in front of you. Just little sips to help. Never more.” Loki told him sternly. Thor swallowed his instinctive need to protect and rescue them right away. He could trust Loki to keep looking for the right realm while Thor kept them alive. He could do his part.

“Also, when you do this, they will feel your emotions, so center yourself. Give them the emotion you want them to feel.” Loki continued. Thor swallowed again. That would be harder. Controlling his emotions wasn’t his best skill, but for his mates, he would learn.

Thor glanced over at his blushing soul mate as they waited for Loki and Tony to join them. From that moment on, he had spent a little time each night sending support to his soulmates, hoping to assist them in whatever trial they were undergoing. He hoped it helped. 

When he had been banished he finally saw the wavering mark firm back to solid. Amidst the foul situation of being banished to Midgard, Thor had breathed a sigh of relief. Doubly so as he realized that Midgard was the home realm of his soulmates. He’d taken care when he’d let All speak adapt to the written language and learned the actual names of his soulmates. 

**Steve Rogers**

**Bucky Barnes**

With Darcy’s assistance, he’d search for information on the two names, only to learn they were both dead. Thor had frowned at that. Steve Rogers was very much alive. He could understand Bucky Barnes being dead, given the amount of time his name remained completely faded, but Steve Roger’s name was solid black again. 

Thor strangled the need to search out his partner with long habit. Lady Jane needed his help first and he owed her a debt. Additionally, his duty to his realm had to come first for the Crown Prince. When the Warrior Three spoke of how far afield Loki had gone, he knew his brother needed his help. As did his people and his parents. His brother was clearly insane with jealousy. Why had he not noticed it in Loki. The need to be good enough, to please their father had driven Loki past even Thor’s previous levels of bloodthirst lunacy. Thor had known what he had to do.

When Loki shouted how Thor would never see his soulmates, Thor knew Loki loved him. Loki had always loved him. Thor had simply failed to show Loki how much he was loved in return. He didn’t need this to be loved by Thor. With a prayer that Steve would understand his duty to all the realms, Thor destroyed the Bridge.

Thor tensed at the memory as he held his soulmate close. Steve rose to sit next to the pair and place a hand on Thor’s shoulder. All those times Thor had sent them both magic and emotions had widened a normally narrow bond. Both his mates could feel his emotions far more easily than a normal soul bond.

Thor was grateful for the support. Thinking about Loki trying to please their father, believing he’d failed at that, falling into the abyss from Thor’s hand; those thoughts would send Thor into such depression that only his mates or brother could pull him out. Thor leaned slightly towards Steve as he let thoughts of that horrid event go.

Learning his brother was alive had been a boon Thor simultaneously cheered and wept for. The fall into the abyss should have killed him. Whatever was done that Loki survived, his mind would be even further fractured. Thor only hoped Loki’s mate could come and help. It was when Loki fell that Thor realized he didn’t know Loki’s name. He’d never even asked after his Brother’s soulmate. He felt his own shame double again at another sign of how little he showed his regard for his brother.

As soon as Odin could muster up the energy, Thor went with all speed to his brother, snatching him from the very same midgardian group that had insulted Lady Jane so aggrievedly. That hadn’t gone well either. Loki had questioned everything Thor had thought to be fact about them. Yes Odin had spoken of Loki’s parentage being Jotunn, but Odin had ensured nothing of their foul prejudice had remained in Loki. 

Then Loki had explained Jotunn soulmarkings. Thor had never known that soul-enemies existed. Loki said he knew who would cause him the most pain. In that stance, Thor could understand trying to destroy the realm of such a person. Yet when Loki shoved the name in Thor’s face so Thor could assist, Thor could only blink in non-understanding. 

**_Þórr_ **

How could that be. Thor listened as Loki explained how he could beat Thor and caught a bit of hope. This being that had caught Loki when he fell through the abyss. He must have had something to do with this fracturing of their past! Thor would destroy any who would twist his brother so!

Now Thor had to chuckle at fate. Loki’s own mate had struck down Loki’s greatest enemy. Thor hadn’t known it at the time, but Tony was Loki’s soulmate. Even Thor could see how well they worked together.

When Thor had met Tony on the flying battleship, he’d even thought how much like his brother this Man of Iron was. At least, the part of him that wasn’t trying to handle his utter joy at finally meeting his own soulmate.

Thor glanced at Steve as the blonde wrapped both Thor and their mate in a strong hug, likely responding to Thor’s emotional turmoil. Steve had been strong, stubborn and flamboyant, everything Thor had imagined. He’d also been lost, hopeful and angry. Thor had tried to send more gentle emotions, but he suspected he wasn’t doing a very good job of centering himself, what with his unease over his brother. He had not meant to argue with the man and the others in the team.

When the explosion had shaken his head free of the irritation, he’d wondered if it was his or Steve’s. Loki had said the bond may eventually go both ways. In any case, Thor had barely had time to check that Steve’s mark was strong before he faced Banner head on.

Being dropped from the fortress by Loki had been painful. He tried to remind himself that Loki was not of himself, but the idea that Thor had failed both his brother and his soulmate was encompassing. He could understand someone twisting a lot of Loki’s mind, but some of this was clearly Thor’s fault. Thor had stared at Mjolnir, wondering if he would ever be worthy. 

But he had a brother to save, and a soulmate to protect. That overcame any doubts he had as he once again picked up his birthright and headed for his brother’s magic.

Thor wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but when Tony convinced Loki to speak of his capturer, Thor had felt his own stomach rebel. Thanos was a name he’d heard rumors of in the far ends of Asgard’s reach. Ill news and foul deeds was his name. Mercy was not a word known to his presence and Thor despaired Loki had known such a beast. 

When Thor tried to reach out, to comfort Loki as his brother had once been a comfort to him, Loki had shied away. Tony had stepped between them at that point. Thor regarded the two for a few moments before he realized a reason for Loki’s comfort with the midgardian. He recognized it, because he’d found his own ease with a midgardian recently. With his soulmate.

Thor, careful to show no aggression towards his brother or Tony, explained Thanos and declared Loki free of fault for his actions. The discussion of whether to still hold Loki accountable raged, but Tony was firm in siding with Thor and housing Loki for the near future. Thor gladly agreed, hoping to facilitate some meeting of the souls between the two. For his own purposes, Thor quietly asked Tony if he and Steve could borrow some space themselves. Thor wanted to stay near Loki, but he wanted to speak with Steve as well. Tony scowled but agreed, asking the building to guide Thor and Steve to bedchambers.

Thor had pulled Steve aside as the man followed Lady Natasha and the Archer back to SHIELD. “Man of Iron has graciously allowed me to remain near my brother. Would you be willing to also remain Captain? I wish a word.”

Steve seemed to regard him a moment before glancing over at Tony and Loki, and then at the SHIELD group. Receiving nods from all, Steve agreed. Thor frowned. As their leader, Steve shouldn’t need to seek approval from anyone save Tony, as the head of the house. Thor vowed to discuss it later. Steve was a young leader and Odin had needed to discuss permissions with Thor as well.

In the meantime, The building directed them to a room where food was delivered by Lady Pepper, a brisk redhead who the Building, named JARVIS, introduced before she could proceed to check on Tony and Loki.

Thor eyed Steve as the man sighed wearily and investigated the food without much enthusiasm. “What did you want to speak about, Thor?”

Thor contemplated the question. Loki had often spoken of tact and Thor felt it necessary in this, one of the most important discussions of his life. “Steven, may I ask. How do Midgardians find the mates of their soul?”

Steve froze in his bite of food. Swallowing, Steve glanced over at Thor in suspicion. “Soulmates?”

Thor nodded eagerly. “I am unfamiliar with the method used on Midgard.”

“Earth” Steve automatically corrected before huffing and pushing his food away. “You think you have a soulmate here?”

Thor nodded again slowly. Mayhap, in this culture such things are not discussed often? 

Steve rubbed his hand through his hair. “Okay, so I’ll tell you what my Ma told me. We have a bond with our mates, right?” Steve waited for Thor to nod before continuing. “And humans can see this bond if we concentrate.”

Thor blinked in confusion. “You can make it visible?”

“Only to ourselves. Like a red thread, that’s what most people call it. It leads you to your mate. Only if they're gone, it breaks and wraps itself around your wrist.” Steve was now staring at his wrist. Absently, he rubbed his wrist, “I lost mine a long time ago. I haven’t the strength to look. Not since I awoke.”

Thor felt his heart tear at the sadness that pervaded his soulmate’s voice. Carefully, fully aware that Steve was hurting now, “You only have one?”

Steve shrugged. “Some have more. I’m an oddball. I had two threads, but one went into the sky.” Steve rolled his eyes. “At least my mate also had that issue. I didn’t feel so alone when I learned that.” Steve rubbed his arm. “I miss him.” he murmured.

Thor blinked as Steve cleared his throat. “Anyway, how do your soulmates work? Have you found them?”

Thor rubbed his wrist guard out of habit, “On Asgard, our mate’s soul write their name on our wrists. It was not until I came to Midgard, to Earth, that I found the correct language.”

Steve gave him a forced cheerful smile and raised his glass of juice in a salute. “Congratulations. Just take your mate aside in private and let them know. Stark could probably help you search for them.” Steve drank and turned away from Thor. Thor could practically see the sadness pouring off his soul’s mate.

He took a deep fortifying breath and removed the wrist guard. “Steven.” He pleaded quietly.

Steve automatically turned. He was a soldier dedicated to helping people, he could probably no more ignore Thor’s entreaty that Thor could. Steve glanced at the wrist, almost automatically, freezing when he processed what he was seeing. Thor could see in his eyes as he tried to process the news, subconsciously reaching toward the wrist before stopping himself.

He then rubbed his own wrist and slowly closed his eyes. His breath caught a few times before he seemed to gather the strength to look at Thor again. Thor could feel their bond widen, just a hair. All those times he’d given his mate’s energy had given him a heightened awareness of the bond. He could see tears form on Steve’s face as his breaths quicken.

“Its not going up anymore.” Steve murmured brokenly. Thor slid off his seat as Steve sobbed, curling himself to the floor. Thor caught him gently, running his hands over the man’s broad back as heart-wrenching sob tore through his strong form. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

It took Thor a few tries before he heard Steve’s apologies. Gently, aware that his natural strength may exceed his human partner’s, Thor pulled Steve close. “Tis I who must apologize, Steven. I hoped this would be glad tidings.

Steve shook his head and curled closer. Thor was unsure what to do. So he simply held his mate as the man continued to sob out the last of his despair. As the man quieted, he let Thor turn him so he was facing Thor’s chest and Thor could lift them off the hard floor. There was a sumptuous rug of fur not too far and a fireplace that conveniently lit itself as Thor set them on the rug.

Steve hiccuped a bit and then whispered into Thor’s shirt, “I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.”

Thor looked at Steve in question before he realized what Steve meant. “Nay, Steve. Our mate is not dead.”

Steve’s entire body tensed at that. Thor waited to see what his mate would do. Steve swallowed, “I saw him fall, Thor. No human could have survived.” Steve whispered, as if to not give voice to a hope.

Thor frowned and then pulled his wrist in front of Steve. “Tis faded now, which should mean death. Yet at times it returns, flickering of life. Your name did also shift in strength for many decades. I had feared for your life then. Yet my brother claimed it meant you were fighting for your life. Fighting to not leave me.”

Thor bent so he could lean close to Steve, “I believed in your strength, Steve. Please, believe in Bucky Barnes’s.”

“Bucky.” Steve said quietly. “When we first met when we were kids, I named him Bucky. It seemed better than James.”

Thor didn’t understand the difference exactly, but he pulled his mate closer, “Bucky.” Thor said calmly. “We shall find him and give him the strength to recover from his own wounds.”

Steve had stayed in Thor’s arms all night, mostly staring at the fire that burned merrily without needing to be fed. Thor had basked in the idea that he was in his mate’s presence. For so long, he’d convinced himself he need never seek out his mate, satisfied from afar, but now, he didn’t know if he could ever release them. That first night had been the first of many where he held Steve close.

Thor leaned against Steve as he heard Loki and Tony migrate from their bedchambers to the kitchen. Tony, for one, was not terribly hospitable before drinking his elixir called coffee. Thor had declared it far too bitter for him and Steve had just said it was an acquired taste and he slowly stopped drinking it himself.

Loki had no love for it, but Tony had introduced Thor’s brother to Hot Chocolate, something Thor’s Bucky loved as well. Thor smiled as he watched the two soulmates putter about in the kitchen without getting in each other’s way, except on purpose. He knew they were largely trying to distract themselves from the three in the room.

When Thor had visited Loki the morning after the fight, he’d been hostile. The only reason he had any interest in even being in the same room was to be with Tony. Thor had been similarly following his own soulmate.

Steve had slowly approached the Man of Iron as the Lady Pepper glared at him. Thor was uncertain why the Lady Pepper disliked his mate, but he stepped forward to ensure she was aware that he would protect Steve. Lady Pepper had simply scoffed at Thor’s show of protection and continued her activity as Steve approached Tony.

“Stark. I have a favor to ask.” Steve said quietly. Tony had turned to glare at the man with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh? Another guest room or do you have something else to ask of the man worth very little.” Tony snarled. Thor scowled at the words and stepped forward, which Loki responded to rather abruptly, placing himself between Thor and Tony with a sneer of his own.

Thor had held his ground, but tried to relax his own posture as Tony softly said Loki’s name and placed a hand on his shoulder. Steve watched Loki wearily, but turned back to Tony. “That was a mistake,” Steve said quietly. “I-” Steve hesitated before glancing at Thor. Thor gave him a supportive smile. Steve seemed to firm up his shoulder, “I was wrong to say that. Any of that.” Steve shuffled his feet. “And thanks for not being that..that.” Steve seemed to run out of words. 

Tony glanced at him with a grimace. “Yeah, well the bottle comment was my bad I guess.” Lady Pepper huffed next to him, seemingly in amusement. “Now that you’ve buttered me up, what’s the favor?” Tony sighed.

“That’s not why- Steve protested before biting his lip. “That’s not why I apologized.” Steve said firmly. Thor had to admire that about his mate. Thor had a hard time saying he was wrong too. Steve shook his head. “But, if you could…” Steve looked at Tony in hope, which Thor mimicked. “Please, could you find Bucky?”

Absolute silence reigned in the room. Thor knew Loki knew what that meant, but Tony and Lady Pepper seemed stunned at the request. Tony finally set his mug down, “You mean Bucky Barnes? The only member of the Howling Commandoes to be killed in action, operative word being ‘killed’? That Bucky?”

Thor felt his whole body shudder at the word killed and Steve seemed to almost sway in distress. Thor reached out to place a hand on Steve’s lower back in support, opening their bond a bit. That seemed to help.

Loki turned to Tony, “This Bucky Barnes isn’t dead.” Thor was glad Loki had seen the flicker because Thor wasn’t sure he had the strength right now to explain it again. Having Steve doubt him was bad enough. “Thor’s soulmarks have flickered periodically for decades. I’ve even checked the bond. It's weak, but present.”

Tony frowned in confusion. Thor felt Steve automatically feel along their bond and knew Steve was checking his own red thread. Steve took a breath. “It's not going anywhere now, but the thread isn’t wrapped around my wrist. Its just…” Steve waved to indicate the vague faded sight.

Loki glanced at Tony a moment to see his open mate thinking hard. Thor looked at Loki, “Please Brother.” he pleaded.

Loki snarled at Thor, backing away. Tony’s head jerked up, their display yanking him out of whatever thoughts he’d been having. “Back off, Point break.”

Thor acquiesced, shifting behind Steve to show the space he was giving his snarling brother. Loki glanced atTony again. Whatever they seemed to communicate between them, Loki step forward again and reached for Steve.

Steve willingly held out his own arm, careful to stay in contact with Thor and eyeing Tony wearily. Thor felt Loki’s magic thrum through their bond and then spiral out. It took a while but eventually Loki opened his eyes again.

“The bond remains. As the Captain said, it is fractured, as if shattered by a great hammer, but it exists.” Loki said quietly.

Steve took a gasping breath. He looked at Thor. “We have to find him.”

Thor pulled Steve closer, “Aye, we will. Never fear Steve. We will.”

Tony eyed Steve again, “You can both stay in that suite for the time being. I think the assassins will show up eventually too so Avenger headquarters apparently is here.”

Steve opened his eyes, but Thor was the one to give their thanks. “My gratitude for giving part of your home to us. I am thankful to remain near my brother.”

Loki snarled again. “What part of greatest pain do you not get?”

Thor regarded him calmly. “If fate states that we are to be enemies, then I shall stand in the ground and not be turned. You are my brother. I shall not let any, even fate herself, change that.”

Loki had blinked in surprise at Thor before growling and stalking to the exit. He paused there long enough for Tony, who had hopped up after a quick kiss on Lady Pepper’s cheek. The two had existed together.

Thor had been so grateful to Tony for being Loki’s mate. And to them both for assisting them in finding their Bucky. It ended up not mattering. Bucky found them first. Apparently Thanos wasn’t the only foul creature capable of no mercy in the universe. When the assassin appeared to kill Steve, Thor naturally fought the man. In the scuffle with both men, the assassin’s mask was removed and Steve had frozen.

“Bucky?”

That single word had resonated with Thor and Thor immediately been overcome with fury and hope. A heady combination that allowed Thor to capture their wayward mate in a bearhug from behind. The snarling man tried to kick and wrigged his way free, but Thor had wrestled Loki, who could turn into a snake. His mate was not that slippery.

Steve was near tears as he pleaded with Bucky to recognize him, but the man was having none of it. Eventually Thor suggested they simply find a better method of containing their mate until they could figure out what type of spell the man was under. 

Finally, Steve called Tony on their communications devices. Tony landed near them a moment later with a barely hidden smile at the scene. Thor sourly thought he was glad this amused the man. Tony helped Thor transport his feral bundle to Avengers Tower.

Loki was ready for them, no doubt warned by JARVIS, who apparently was Tony’s son. Thor had walked forward as Bucky calmed down, now looking around them in guarded curiosity. Steve tried again to reach him, but his response hadn’t changed, “Who the hell is Bucky?”

Loki came over, staring at the dark figure in Thor’s arms. When he glanced at Thor, Thor was heartened to see some of his brother in that look, some small thawing of the ice between them. Loki had glared at him, but placed a hand on Thor’s arm and one near Bucky’s chest, as the man had returned to thrash. 

Loki gasped and Tony immediately stepped closer, arm going around Loki’s waist. Loki leaned back, basking in his own soulmate’s presence as Thor felt him slowly nudge along the bond between Thor and Bucky. It was easier than with Steve since Thor was used to letting Loki into his magic. Thor could tell when Loki finally made contact with his mate as Bucky froze.

A soft keening sound erupted from the figure in Thor’s arms, but he dare not let go lest the man return to his former violent state. Loki wavered and Tony took over supporting him fully as his Aesir transformation gave way to the more unfamiliar Jotunn form. Thor was still tensing slightly at the appearance of an old enemy, but he’d never harm his brother for it.

In his arms, Bucky gasped, going rigid and shrieking. Steve’s name popped up a few times and Steve was forward in an instant, staying out of Loki’s way, but placing an arm around Bucky gently, rubbing a spot under Bucky’s ear. Thor knew that had been their spot and Steve was trying to reach his mate in his own way.

Bucky sobbed, thrashing again in Thor’s grasp as Loki went rigid after slipping to his knees. Thor followed his brother to a kneeling position to keep contact and let Loki finish what he was doing. Steve had buried his face between Thor’s shoulder and Bucky’s shoulder and Thor could feel the tears soak his shirt as both his mates held on.

“Pl-please…” Bucky whimpered and Loki moaned, finally releasing them both. Thor kept a secure hold on his mate until Loki could speak of the status of his partners. Steve, wrapped his own arms around them both, whispering in Bucky’s ear. Thor could barely make out the repeated phrase, “Til the end of the line, Bucky”.

Late at night, when two sweaty bodies had finished finding physical solace in each other, Steve had told Thor about their third and that phrase. Thor rubbed his own face into Bucky’s ragged hair, softly murmuring in the other ear that his mate was safe.

Loki’s cool hand on Thor’s arm brought his attention back to the room. “He needs rest, Brother.” Loki said quietly. “He has been fighting a long time.”

Thor looked up and met Loki’s gaze in horror as Loki gave him a pained look. Thor looked down at his now sleeping mate and slowly eased his grip to allow Steve to cradle the tortured form close. “He will be…” Thor started to ask and then stopped, uncertain how to continue that thought. 

Loki shook his head. “He is himself once again. More than that, only time will tell.” Loki looked at Thor with great pain, “They broke him, Thor. It is not something to easily recover from. Give him strength and I shall continue to rebuild the bond.” Loki advised. 

He then tried to rise, only to falter himself. Tony had gripped him quickly, taking a lot of his weight and helping him from the room. Thor could only feel more grateful to them both. He’d looked at Steve and softly suggested they lay Bucky in front of the fire.

That had been some time ago and now Thor was visiting for another routine of Loki helping their bond in strength. Bucky remained on Thor’s lap, encased in his strong arms. Bucky said he felt safest there. Like his memories couldn’t fly apart if Thor held them together. 

Steve had been both crushed and elated at that. Luckily, while Steve and Thor could freely feel each other’s feelings, Bucky had yet to figure out that ability. Loki suggested when Steve had asked, that Bucky simply couldn’t separate the foreign emotions from the mess his own were. 

As Loki came to sit in front of them, Bucky tensed automatically. It was always hard. The torture had left deep wounds as those bastards had tried to separate Bucky’s mind and body from his soul. Each wound closed was another door they couldn’t reopen, but Bucky had to experience some of the original events during the exercise. Loki did too, so Thor tried to hide his distress over that.

Instead he focused on Bucky’s own determination to see this treatment through. Steve commented that this dogged determination was familiar and resembled the old Bucky trailing after a very stubborn soulmate in the past.

Loki glanced at Thor with a frown and Thor remembered he and Steve were supposed to be feeding Bucky positive emotions. Thor thought back to an evening Steve had opened his body to Thor. 

Steve had just finished a mission for SHIELD and Thor had spoken via spell with his mother. The bridge would be complete in 2 years. He’d already sent the tesseract back and explained to his father and the council Loki’s innocence in many things. They had agreed that for any crimes, Loki would serve time on Midgard as punishment for a century. Considering Loki’s soulmate and his lifespan, Thor thought Loki would not argue much.

Steve had entered the room still covered in his armor and sweet with sweat. Thor had knelt before him to assist in the removal of the armor. Many times those Thor had bedded had assisted him, never had he considered returning the favor. Now, he found great joy in this small act of caring for his mate. Steve smiled at Thor and drew him up for a kiss. Thor stood slowly as Steve leaned closer and then allowed Thor to lift him. Steve’s legs automatically went around Thor’s waist in a move he’d perfected once with Bucky. Thor continued to rub himself in Steve’s sweat like a happy puppy as he carried his mate to the washroom. JARVIS obliged by blanketing the room with steamy fog and started filling the tub for soaking. Meanwhile, Thor licked Steve’s neck free of the sweat that clung there. 

Steve sighed in contentment and leaned his head back to give Thor access. Thor backed into the shower to prevent Steve’s face from being soaked immediately by the hot water raining on them. Licking his way down to Steve’s nipples, Thor suckled the sensitive skin. Steve’s gasp and subsequent aroused scent filled the room. Following a fight, Thor’s mate was always so very over sensitive. Thor loved that he could give Steve so much pleasure with just a flick of his tongue and a shift of his weight. 

Steve’s back arched backwards enticingly as Thor lifted Steve’s hips to swallow his erection. Steve’s vulnerability was part of his mate’s utter desperation for Thor’s touch. The trust this required had Steve whining and twitching in Thor’s grip. Balanced precariously on Thor’s hands, with only his hips and manhood in Thor’s mouth for support, Steve felt as though he were balanced on a razor’s edge. Thor would never let him fall, but the illusion thrilled his mate to no end and Steve’s slack mouth in the mirror was glorious. Thor’s mastery over when Steve could come only added to the heady mix. 

Thor loved watching Steve’s arms in this particular scenario. They never seemed to know where to go. If they reached for Thor, he’d shift Steve’s weight to seem as if he were to release Steve’s member. If they fell to the side or above Steve’s head, he’d feel as if he’d overbalance, shooting his own excitement up as Steve would hurriedly rebalance.

Eventually, Steve’s hands would do exactly what Thor loved them to do. They’d run themselves over Steve’s chest and stomach, gently continuing the stimulation of his skin with soft finger trails. Just when Thor was certain his mate was at his peak of tension, he paused, holding the barest of tips of Steve’s swollen cock in his mouth. Steve would look at him, coming slightly out of his head, eyes black as night and wet as the sea. His mouth would be slack open in unconscious abandon and Steve would hold his breath, waiting. Thor would make sure to meet his eyes and then fully engulf Steve’s member, sucking and humming hard. Steve’s wail was magnificent. 

Thor was always careful to catch his lover as all tension in Steve’s body would flow away. Now completely pliable, Thor would wash his beloved in the shower, shift his grip and weight to both support and caress each inch of that glorious skin. Steve would sometimes mumble deliriously but otherwise, he would completely turn himself over to Thor ministrations.

Thor loved this time. When he was trusted to care for Steve after a battle. He had never considered doing it before, when he was Asgard’s Crown Prince, but here, he found it soothed him. Thor cradled a now clean lover in his arms and carefully lowered them both into the steaming bath. Steve nuzzled his neck and started wriggling against him at this point.

Breathy whispers in Thor’s ears had Thor’s previously steady arousal burst forward, “Thor, my mate. I need you. I need…”

Thor let Steve situate himself however he wanted at this point. Sometimes, Steve would coax Thor to turn so Steve could prepare and take him. Other times Steve would sit and let Thor choose who took who, leaving Steve to the mercy of Thor’s motions.

On this occasion, Steve turned and grasped the side of the bath, glancing over at Thor with a heated look. Steve, who could come several times, and Thor, who could control his own climax, thoroughly enjoyed trying new things. This one was familiar though. Thor stood and draped himself over his young lover, placing his fingers at Steve’s lips. Steve slurped them messily as he moaned at the feeling. Thor circled Steve’s opening with his other wet fingers, pressing gently. Steve automatically moved away from the finger with a groan, before shifting back with a plea.

Thor kissed the back of Steve’s neck and breached the tight body beneath him with the tip of a finger, circling the finger both inside and outside the pucker. Steve’s hips shuddered at the sensation and Steve moaned as he let go of Thor’s finger.

“Oh Thor! More, I can take it! I beg of you, more!”

Thor chuckled as he let go of Steve to reduce his contact to two fingers from each hand investigating the firm arse in front of him. “No need to beg my Love. I am simply admiring the view.”

As Thor spread Steve’s cheeks and released the pucker, it flexed in anticipation as Steve’s whole body flushed further. Steve’s legs began to shake with the effort of supporting him during such pleasure and display, but Steve loved pushing his body to the limits.

Thor leaned forward and licked the pucker, shoving his tongue inside to stretch the cavern. Steve let out a restrained yelp as he fought not to pull his body away. The ticklish sensation was half the reason Thor did it, well aware of Steve’s love of being tickled. 

Thor suckled and licked Steve until he satisfied that the skin was good and sensitive before pulling Steve back into a more exposed bend. Then Thor grinned at Steve’s tensing back and shoved his own erection along the sensitive skin of Steve’s hole. Steve let out a shout, muffled by biting his own arm as Thor rubbed his own member back and forth against Steve’s hole. Sobs fell from Steve’s covered lips as both sought their release. 

Thor reached forward to grip Steve’s wrists, pulling them back to rest at Steve’s straining thighs. “I want to hear each sound, Beloved. Let me know the centuries of waiting to find you has only increased my ability to pleasure you to the fullest.

Steve jerked his shoulders involuntarily as Thor caught his now abused hole with every shift of his hips, still being certain not to penetrate. Thor opened his bond wide and let his own arousal flow through to his mate, grinning wickedly as Steve howled in response to the dual arousals. Just as Thor let his own climax overcome him, Steve’s rush forward. Thor released a wrist to grip beneath his lovers balls and milk him. Steve sobbed and shuddered as Thor groaned in response. 

The splash of Thor’s seed covered his mate’s back and Thor growled as he pulled his mate to him, one hand cradling the softening erection and the other playing with Steve’s oversensitive nipples. Steve’s head rolled backward on Thor’s shoulder and his body shuddered as Thor played a little longer with the oversensitivity until Steve made a moan that indicated it was moving in the wrong direction of pain. 

They rested in the warm water as Thor kissed Steve’s neck gently. Steve hummed softly as his heaving chest slowly calmed. It was an excellent way to end an evening.

Thor hummed softly as he nuzzled Bucky’s hair behind his ear. Loki slowly came out of his own trance and released Bucky who rested back against Thor’s broad chest.

“Only two more, I think.” Loki murmured as he leaned into his own mate. Steve was whispering to Bucky so Thor looked over. 

“Thank you Brother.”

Loki grimaced but only waved tiredly. These sessions really wore him out. Thor was very grateful Loki would do this, even as angry as he was with Thor.

Thor let Steve pull Bucky onto the supersoldier’s lap and Thor rose to kneel in front of Loki. “I was thinking, Brother.”

Loki tensed and eyed Thor with great trepidation.

Thor swallowed, but forced himself to finish this. “You said I would cause you the greatest pain.”

Loki nodded warily. Tony had now tensed as well. Thor mustered up his courage, bolstered by Steve’s support behind him and Bucky’s metal hand resting on his back. “This does not mean I am forever an enemy. Mayhap I have already caused you this pain. Could not, I now attempt amends?”

Loki eyed Thor with distrust. Tony simply waited for his mate to respond. When Loki glanced at Tony, the human simply gave him a kiss on his cheek and softly told Loki it was his choice.

Loki glanced at the pair behind Thor before looking at Thor.

“Mayhap, Brother.”

Thor knew it wasn’t forgiveness, but a new beginning for them both, with their mates present, was possible more than he deserved. 

Thor had never felt so lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The time where Bucky's name is flickering a lot is when Howard Stark is assassinated. It flickers when Bucky's soul tries to regain control of his body and mind. Steve's name waves while he's in the ice in time with his heartbeat.
> 
> I may or may not come back to this. I kind of want to, but we shall see if I write a sequel


End file.
